You can be forgiven for thinking the path to WLS success is a straight one. Regular weekly losses of around about the same amount each time; a consistent pat on the back from your dietitian or team; no issues with compliance; and ‘you’re doing fine’. I know I did …
The reality is often very different – weight loss proves irregular, stalls happen, and regain can rear its head. Factor in that some old destructive behaviours can also reappear; your follow-up appointments are postponed or delayed (thanks for that virus!); and then you become less eager to see your team and even embarrassed to reach out to ask for help, and it’s a different pathway. Old-fashioned shame is something we are familiar with and often returns to hamper things too … even if we know honesty and transparency are really important and integral parts of any post-op recovery process, it’s hard to push aside.
I have experienced all of the above since my surgery 10+ years ago and expect them to surface from time to time again. I have however learned that if want long-term success it’s imperative I comply with my own after-care regime and the basics it is based upon.
Every now and again I do what I call a REBOOT where I re-visit the Back to Basics (click here if you want to see mine) and remind myself of what they are and do a check as to whether I am following them or more likely have let things slip. Then I try to fix by strictly adhering to them. More often than not it’s enough to see off any regain and get me back on track. If it doesn’t then I speak to my own post-op team of reliable professionals – the ones who realise that sometimes you lose your footing (and this is a quite natural part of the ‘recovery’ process) for specialist help.
If you are interested in weight loss surgery, check out MBL’s Ultimate Guide To Weight Loss surgery.
